Week 12 Preview

 

11/19/11 12 PM ET

Wisconsin at Illinois

RB Jason Ford (Illinois) #21

Making the push to get drafted, in his first year getting significant carries, Ford, the lead man for Illinois, has 518 yards and 7 touchdowns on 138 carries with 14 catches for 125 yards. A 6-2 230 North/South runner, when last I saw him, he had a season high 100 yards on 21 carries against a stout Penn State defensive front.

G Kevin Zeitler (Wisconsin) #70

Looks like the next in a long line as great Wisconsin offensive lineman, Zietler plays right guard for Wisconsin and has helped Montee Ball become one of the country’s leading rushers with 1243 yards and 23 touchdowns on 185 carries. He has had a lot of help from Peter Konz, Wisconsin’s center and both figure to be early round picks, but Konz is hurt and won’t play this week so I’m curious to see how Zietler does without Konz next to him.

11/19/11 3:30 PM ET

Mississippi State at Arkansas

WR Joe Adams (Arkansas) #3

With legit 4.3 speed, Adams is one of the fastest receivers in college football. He’s also an accomplished one as he could finish as Arkansas’ all time leading receiver (provided teammate Jarius Wright doesn’t beat him out for the honor). The 5-11 195 pound Adams has 43 catches for 568 yards and 2 touchdowns this season after 50 catches for 813 yards and 6 touchdowns last year. Deadly in space, Adams has also rushed for a 93 yard touchdown this season and has scored 3 times on punt returns this season, 4 times in his career. Given the value of speed in the NFL, he could be a day 2 pick.

DE Jake Bequette (Arkansas) #91

An above average pass rusher with a great motor and strong ability against the run, the 6-5 270 pound Bequette came into this year as a day 2 prospect at left end after 32 tackles, 8.5 for loss, and 7 sacks last season. He missed some time early in the season with injuries and didn’t get going for a while, but he still has 21 tackles, 6.5 for loss, and 6 sacks in 7 games this season. He’s on fire right now with 16 tackles, 5.5 for loss, and 5 sacks in his last 4 games, all while holding up well against the run. He could end up back in day 2.

11/19/11 8 PM ET

USC at Oregon

RB Marc Tyler (USC) #26

He’s battled plenty of injuries, but at 5-11 230 pound back rushed for 913 yards and 9 touchdowns on 171 carries last season, with 17 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown last year. He’s back from an injury that knocked him out in the Stanford game, but it appears that he has lost his starting job to the speedier Curtis McNeal. Tyler had just 7 carries in his first game back against Washington, though we’ll see if that changes this week against Oregon. On the year, Tyler has 488 yards and 3 touchdowns on 104 carries with 10 catches for 101 yards, but injury issues could force him to be undrafted, especially if he doesn’t get his starting job back.

DE Nick Perry (USC) #8

Perry burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2009, with 25 tackles, 10 for loss, and 9 sacks. He looked poised to be a future first rounder, but after a disappointing sophomore season in which he had 25 tackles, 7.5 for loss, and 4 sacks, he sank back into the projected middle rounds range. However, now a junior, Perry is having another fantastic season and is gaining some steam as a potential day 2 pick. A 6-3 250 pound end with legit 4.5 speed, Perry has 47 tackles, 11 for loss, and 7 sacks in 10 games this season and gave future first round pick Jonathan Martin fits in USC’s loss to Stanford. He looks like a day 2 pick as a 3-4 outside linebacker if he were to declare this year, but he might return because another strong season could land him in the first round in 2013.

 

ESPN 3 Replays

11/17/11 8 PM ET

North Carolina at Virginia Tech

S Eddie Whitley (Virginia Tech) #15

A mid rounder or even a late day 2 prospect coming into the season, Whitley’s stock is on the decline now because of his struggles against the run, particularly against Georgia Tech. The 6-1 195 pound safety is undersized and doesn’t make up for it with particularly excellent coverage skills. On the season, he has 51 tackles, 1 for loss, 2 picks, and 2 pass deflections in 10 games.

DT Tydreke Powell (North Carolina) #91

A member of North Carolina’s talented defensive line, Powell has 40 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and a sack on the season after 47 tackles, 3 for loss, and 2.5 sacks last year. At 6-3 310, his strength is against the run and he fits as a 4-3 nose tackle or 3-4 defensive end at the next level. He looks like a mid rounder.

11/12/11 12 PM ET

Michigan State at Iowa

OT Riley Reiff (Iowa) #77

The consensus #3 offensive tackle in this class, Reiff has excellent athleticism at 6-6 300 with a 40 time in the 4.8s or 4.9s. He needs to get bigger, but that will come with age. He’s having a fantastic season and looks like a top 15 pick, though Michigan State’s fierce defensive line represents one of the toughest test’s of his career.

G Joel Foreman (Michigan State) #67

He’s played both guard positions and center, Foreman is the veteran experienced one of Michigan State’s line. He’s a borderline draftable prospect.

11/19/11 10:15 PM ET

California at Stanford

OT Mitchell Schwartz (California) #72

A mid round pick and climbing at left tackle for California, Schwartz looks like a swing tackle at the next level. Here he’ll get a matchup with Chase Thomas, a 3-4 outside linebacker for Stanford who is seeking to redeem himself after struggling as a pass rusher against Matt Kalil and USC and missing several tackles against Oregon and their speedy playmakers.

DE Trevor Guyton (California) #92

Playing in Cal’s 3-4 defense as a 3-4 defensive end, the 6-4 285 pound Guyton will have that advantage as he transitions to the next level. He looks like a natural fit for a 3-4 defense, though so did Tyson Alualu and Cameron Jordan, two of Cal’s 3-4 defensive ends who went on to get drafted in the first round by 4-3 teams. A likely mid rounder, Guyton has 36 tackles, 10 for loss, and 5 sacks on the season and gets a test here in Stanford’s stout offensive line.

11/19/11 8 PM ET

Oklahoma at Baylor

RB Terrance Ganaway (Baylor) #24

A relative unknown coming into this season, Ganaway has rushed for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns on 148 carries as part of Baylor’s explosive offense. The 6-0 240 pound Ganaway runs with great power and looks like a rotational running back or a fullback at the next level. He looks like a late rounder.

DT Nicolas Jean-Baptiste (Baylor) #90

Following in the footsteps of Phil Taylor, a nose tackle from Baylor who went in the first round last year, Jean-Baptiste has 26 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and 1.5 sacks on the season as a 6-1 330 pound nose tackle. He holds up well against the run and always has an impact when I watch Baylor. I think he’s an underrated prospect who could start at nose tackle at the next level. He still looks like a consensus late rounder.

11/19/11 12 PM ET

Michigan at Nebraska

C David Molk (Michigan) #50

One of the top centers in this draft class, Molk looks like a day 2 or early day 3 pick in April. He’s among the top 5 or so centers in this draft class with guys like Mike Brewster, Peter Konz, William Vlachos, Ben Jones, etc.

DT Mike Martin (Michigan) #68

Not a guy who is going to show up big time on the stat sheet, but his ability against the run will get him drafted as a rotational 4-3 defensive tackle. On the season, the 6-3 305 pounder has 43 tackles, 5.5 for loss, and 3 sacks.

11/19/11 3:30 PM ET

Clemson at NC State

MLB Audie Cole (NC State) #42

A stat stuffer at middle linebacker who has a strength against the run, the 6-4 240 pound Cole has 82 tackles, 8.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 4 pass deflections in 10 games this season. Last year, went he was an outside linebacker, he had 86 tackles, 10 for loss, 5 sacks, 3 deflections, and a pick. He is fresh off a dominating game against North Carolina in which NC State’s front 7 stuffed North Carolina’s ground game all night. He looks like a borderline day 2/day 3 prospect.

TE George Bryan (NC State) #84

A big, physical tight end at 6-3 260 who has some pass catching abilities and can take advantage of a weak tight end class and sneak into day 2. Though run blocking is his specialty, he does have 19 catches for 188 yards and 2 scores on the season after 35 catches for 369 yards and 3 touchdowns last season and 40 catches for 422 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2009.

11/19/11 3:30 PM ET

Penn State at Ohio State

OT Mike Adams (Ohio State) #75

After missing the first 5 games of the season with suspension, Adams, once a former potential first round pick, has shown some bad and some good since returning. An All-Big 10 first teamer in 2010, the 6-6 320 Mike Adams and shown awesome run blocking abilities this year and throughout his time at Ohio State and he isn’t a bad pass protector either. It’s no surprise that Ohio State’s offense got better as soon as he returned. However, he’s not the most athletic guy in the world and he struggled with Whitney Mercilus’ speed rush against Illinois, surrendering 2 sacks. He looks like a right tackle at the next level and probably a 2nd round pick

WR Derek Moye (Penn State) #6

The 6-5 Moye could be Penn State’s all time leading receiver when all is said and done. He caught 48 passes for 785 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2009 and 53 catches for 885 yards and 8 touchdowns in 2010. In 2011, despite missing 3 games with a foot injury and having inconsistent quarterback play, Moye has 34 catches for 592 yards and 3 touchdowns in 8 games. He looks like a mid to late rounder.

11/19/11 7 PM ET

LSU at Mississippi

S Brandon Taylor (LSU) #18

A former cornerback, the 6-0 195 pound Taylor is done a good job at free safety for LSU this year. He has done well in coverage and plays the run better than his size would suggest. A potential mid rounder, Taylor has 30 tackles, 3.5 for loss, 5 deflections, and 2 picks on the season. He always seems to make plays when I watch LSU.

S Damien Jackson (Mississippi) #1

Hoping to get drafted late, the 6-2 210 pound Jackson has 60 tackles, 2.5 for loss, a sack, a pick and a deflection on the season. He was also decently productive in 2010 with 68 tackles, 4.5 for loss, and 4 deflections.

 

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